1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-propelled mobile robot which travels along a studied route to perform a cleaning or a monitoring job, and more particularly to a mobile robot which can correct a position error generated in the course of travel of the robot, thereby controlling the same movably to a targeted point accurately.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a prior art, a conventional robot is disclosed, wherein a pulse signal is generated from an encoder according to revolution of running motor attached to a powered wheel to detect a travel distance of the robot, and a rotary angle measuring an amount of revolution of the robot is accumulated to detect a travel direction change of the robot.
Accordingly, travel distance data detected by the encoder and travel direction data detected by an angular velocity sensor are received by a control means, to thereby perform an operation based on a position of the robot.
However, in the case of the conventional robot thus constructed, slippage is generated at a driving wheel of the robot according to a material and condition of the floor surface on which the robot travels, so that travel by the robot is detected by the encoder even though the robot has not actually moved, causing a problem in that the robot cannot be shifted to a targeted point accurately.
Furthermore, the angular velocity sensor for detecting the travel direction change of the robot produces an output error according to ambient temperatures, vibrations and other changes of surroundings.
AS noted above, when an output error of angular velocity against the travel direction change detected by the angular velocity sensor arises, correction of the output error in the angular velocity sensor should be made by way of an absolute position display device, a magnetic azimuth sensor or the like, thereby causing a problem in that the structure thereof becomes complicated, and correction thereof takes considerable time.
Accordingly, the present invention has been disclosed to solve the aforementioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile robot which can correct position error data generated during travel of the robot by a predetermined position coordinate data to thereby move the robot to a targeted point accurately and at the same time to provide a mobile robot which can be easily installed due to its simple structure to thereby reduce the manufacturing cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile robot which can correct the position error data only when an infrared signal transmitted from the robot is received, thereby reducing electric power consumption necessary for position error correction of the robot.